


Truth Serum Doesn't Discriminate

by SummerRoses0612



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: #Team Iron Man, Bucky "James" Barnes/Tony Stark, Child Neglect, Civil War Team Iron Man, DO NOT COPY, Deception, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Howard Stark's Bad Parenting, Hurt Tony Stark, I am unapologetically Team Iron Man, Kidnapping, Loss of Trust, M/M, Misunderstandings, Multilingual Tony Stark, Non-Consensual Bondage, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Not Avengers as family, Nothing explicit, Past Child Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Pre Bucky "James" Barnes/Tony Stark, Rape/Non-con Elements, Seriously I Have No Idea, Steve should be a warning in and of it's own, The Truth Hurts, Thor is just a puppy, Thor is learning, Timeline What Timeline, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Still Has Arc Reactor, Tony can speak Latvian, Truth Serum, When talking about Natalie Rushman, do not copy to another site, polyglot Tony, so not much, steve rogers - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:00:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27965705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SummerRoses0612/pseuds/SummerRoses0612
Summary: The Avengers have never been a family, no matter what they advertise to the world. What happens when the truth isn't anything like it seems?OrThe one where Tony Stark gets drugged with truth serum and the Avengers realize they never even cared to look behind the masks the engineer wore.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark, Pre Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark - Relationship
Comments: 29
Kudos: 666





	1. The Comforting Truth... Sometimes

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: The Avengers is not owned by me or anyone or thing affiliated with me, this is a work of fan fiction.  
> WARNING-This work has the following: Discussions of rape/non-con, past child abuse, child neglect, truth serum, kidnapping, non-consensual bondage, non-con drugging. 
> 
> If any of that may be triggering to you please do not read this work.

The brunette woke with a pained groan, the dreadfully familiar feeling of rough rope on his wrists and a metal chair underneath him like a scene from a B rated movie. He was wearing his black undershirt and dress pants from the night before, missing his accessories and his shoes. The pounding headache giving way to flashes of memories, disorienting in the way only being drugged can ever achieve. Tapping his foot on the ground revealed that the room was big. Taking a quick inventory of his body proves nothing else wrong. Done with all that he could be without opening his eyes he does, slowly, letting himself discretely check everything around him as he does. A look around verified it was a warehouse, six cells all equally spaced in front of him, an Avenger occupying each of them. Tall ceilings and concrete walls and floors with exposed pipes and nothing even remotely interesting to look at. Skylights proving it to be morning going single file along the middle of the roof and cameras for every angle. The brunette takes one more final look around the room and, seeing nothing new the second time took a deep breath. 

"Rise and shine!" Tony Stark shouted to the other Avengers in the cells, successfully getting several of them to wake up on the first try. 

Natasha and Bucky woke with a barely noticeable flinch, their training not failing them. Thor woke with a roar, as if in the heat of a battle and, after seeing his surroundings walked to the front of the cell. The Russian assassins, seeing Tony tied to the chair through their barely opened eyes got up as well. They took stock and, realizing that not everyone was awake set about yelling out for the others.

"Clint, get your feathered ass up!" Natasha hissed, not looking all that concerned but, anyone that knew her could see the worry in her eyes. 

"Five more minutes, Tasha" Clint whined like a petulant child, getting a laugh out of Tony despite the tense situation. Clint abruptly realized that something was wrong and, upon looking up remembered what happened before like a bad dream. As they went about getting everyone up Tony went through his memories to try and figure out who had gotten them. 

**_*Flashback*_ **

_The gala had been weighing heavily on the resident genius. So much to be done and never enough time. As he pulled himself out of his latest workshop binge with the help of Jarvis he noted three things._

_1\. Nobody had bothered him. This thought brought him a wave of relief that he took a minute to figure out._

_'Right' he thought to himself, letting out a sardonic chuckle to the empty air of the elevator._

_They hadn't bothered him because he had finished the latest round of weapon repairs and Barnes and Brucey had been on a mission. Though it surprised no one more than himself, Tony found that he actually liked the guy. He's funny and unrestrained with a sarcastic, give-zero-fucks attitude that only came with being broken and put back together enough times to not care what people have to say anymore. The man would lay on the comfortable couch that he stole from MIT with Rhodey like he belonged there and just watch him work, bringing food sometimes but more often than not just company. The rest of the team besides his Science Bro never came down unless they had something more to demand of him._

_2\. He had remembered to do the basic human necessities. He wasn't overly hungry or ridiculously over caffeinated and he didn't smell like a gym. He had apparently slept at least a couple hours and showered in the past couple days between work and the mini fridge he always left full in the workshop would probably provide evidence of his snacking._

_3\. Finally, he had about three hours to get himself pretty enough that Captain Righteous wouldn't have anything to nag about._

_Having finished his post-binge self analysis, Tony got out of the elevator when it stopped on the penthouse floor. His floor was much different than the other Avenger's that he designed, from the wide open floor plan to the marble and wood theme it was a mix of cabin and luxury hotel. The well used industrial sized kitchen to the right and the living room opening to the elevator, a single visible hall with doors lining it leading to a couple guest rooms, a master bedroom, and several full bathrooms._

_What nobody would ever think to look for was the interesting part though, lasers controlled by Jarvis lining the walls and an easily reachable weapon from every possible location. A slow acting poison and super knockout gas in the AC and several hidden rooms containing everything from a hospital setup to an armory. The penthouse was literally the most safe place in the world to be._

_Instantly relaxing from his tense posture as the elevator doors slid on their tracks to reveal the penthouse Tony loosened his tie. Leaving a trail of clothes from the elevator to the master bedroom, he was naked by the time he opened the door of the attached master bathroom. One-way glass showing one of the best views in New York greeted his tired mind as Jarvis automatically started the shower. Getting in he let his mind wander as he went about cleaning himself from top to bottom._

_The last few days had been productive, he had finished everything on his to-do list from Pepper and made several updates to the bots, Jarvis, and the Iron Man that he had been meaning to do for a long time. He felt good about the work that he had done and, now that it was done, he had time to just create. So yes, it had been a productive couple days._

_As his train of thought came to a halt he finished rinsing the conditioner from his hair. Stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around his waist he shivered in the significantly cooler air. After drying his hair off with another towel he wiped the condensation off of the mirror, just looking at himself for a moment. The arc reactor shines brightly in the foggy mirror, a reminder as much as a comfort. His whiskey eyes, dark chocolate hair, and rough goatee all standing out in the blue light with his tanned skin as the background. Coming back to himself, he gave one final look over and slowly started working his way through getting ready for the gala, he had time._

_The gala was for the Avengers, a headache of a PR deal to avoid more press conferences but probably equally painful in the long run. On the agenda was schmoozing, drinking, dancing, and an auction. The typical rich people gala stuff and nothing at all interesting or original. Old military people, billionaires, and money-hungry sharks were the only company Tony was expecting to see tonight and, for that he was glad. The Avengers had been more annoying than normal lately, a direct result of yet another article about another illegitimate child the billionaire supposedly had. He had laughed it off when they showed him but he was just tired of everyone believing the worst in him without fail._

_Finished with his hair and shaving his goatee back into shape he dropped the towel and walked into his bedroom. The bedroom was painted a light forest green with a wall of floor to ceiling windows, dark wood making up the nightstands, lamps, desk, bookshelves, and bed frame. There were pictures filled with Rhodey, Pepper, Peter, Happy, and Jarvis up on the walls and his desk was cluttered with blueprints and hastily written notes in his engineer scrawl._

_He ambled his way to the walk in closet and looked through his suits, finally choosing a maroon number, one that made him look like he was poured into it. He started with a black undershirt, using it to hide the glow of the arc reactor as much as that it went with the suit. Over that went a white silk button down. Putting on the suit he finished it off with simple black cufflinks and a slim, plain black tie. He grabbed an elegant watch from his collection then moved to the mirror. Checking his reflection he flicked away the piece of hair that had flopped into his eye and made sure everything was in the right place. Seeing that it was he grabbed a pair of simple black dress shoes, shiny with hints of silver stitching, and then closed with his iconic sunglasses. Tucking them next to his pocket square as he made his way to the elevator he just wished that this night go well._

_The shindig started the same as always, expensive champagne and plenty of side eye from the rest of the Avengers. They all looked amazing, the Good Captain with his basic but well fitting black suit, Barton and Bucky following his lead but both had stupid ties, probably the latest from their prank war. Thor wearing traditional Asgardian formal wear which looked like fancy, lightweight armor. Romanov bringing up the rear in an amazing floor length, black, backless number that showed off every single one of her assets with Bruce at her side. His dark green suit and silver tie making him look mysterious rather than stupid, his eyes practically glowing with the complimenting color._

_It was going great.... Famous. Last. Words._

_The lights went out, getting all the Avengers instantly on their guard. The event security started herding people out but, before they could get far, canisters smoking up the place with God only knows what came through the high windows. The billionaire instantly brought his layers of shirts and suit jacket up to his face and just focused on trying to find the culprit, seeing the other Avengers doing the same from the corner of his eye. Civilians started fainting left and right, Natasha, Bucky, and Clint the first to go down because they were standing directly under the windows when the smoke started. Closely followed by Bruce, Steve, and Thor. Tony, being the farthest from the gas gave one last desperate glance around the room before the dizzy feeling started to set in. His diminished lung capacity fighting his attempts to hold his breath until he finally fell to his knees. He looked up just in time to see a team of heavily armed people with gas masks and what looked like their leader. The leader's gait looked alarmingly familiar but, right before he could figure out why, the gas knocked him out. Only one more thought came to him before the gas took him away to dream land._

_'Aldrich Killian'_

_***End of Flashback*** _

Coming out of his thoughts the billionaire tied to the chair looks around one more time. Everyone was awake now, Steve, Bucky, and Thor were handcuffed and they had what looked like runes carved into them but everyone else was just loose. 

"Well, isn't this cozy." He mutters sarcastically, getting a satirical bark of laughter from the local cyborg. 

"Why are you the one tied to the chair?" Barnes asked from his cell, getting over his amusement and back to business. 

"Because this is an old friend cashing in his guarantee to bite me in the ass." Tony said, not willing to give away more until he was sure but, at the same time, giving Barnes everything he needs to know. 

It's personal, and it's solely aimed at the billionaire. 

"Oh, Anthony! You've always been a smart cookie!" Killian started, making his entrance followed by 3 goons. 

"And the man of the hour! Stage left, never would have seen it coming." The man tied to the chair muttered bitingly, getting another chuckle out of the geriatric assassin. 

"Always a delight-" Aldrich continued as if he hadn't heard a word Tony said. "Now, I was working on something interesting and I thought 'Well, it's ready for testing and who better than one Mr. Iron Man?'." Tony heard the words that weren't said but not anyone else did _After all, you liked the other thing I made._

He gave a signal with his hand and a doctor in a lab coat walked in. The Avengers started yelling but Tony just sat there quietly, resigned and furious and letting none of it show. The doctor set up her work station quietly and efficiently with obviously practiced hands.

"Tilt your head to the right please." The doctor said in a strained voice, accident or not showing that she doesn't want to be here.

"Now why would I do that?" Tony asked, letting a bit of his resignation into his voice.

In answer Aldrich just clicked a button on the remote in his hand. Everyone in the cells that was touching a wall or had on cuffs jolted as a shot of electricity went through them. The man didn't even say anything, he didn't really want to hurt anyone but Anthony. 

"Ok" Tony said simply.

The Avengers still recovering from the shock looked unsettled at the way Tony had so easily given in. Looking defiantly into the eyes of Killian, Tony slowly did as was asked, ignoring the noise coming from the Avenger's cells and not letting the eye contact go until the other man looked away first. The doctor took out a huge needle and injected the billionaire tied to the chair with something. The liquid was teal and burned horribly the second that it entered his bloodstream. The team and Aldrich could see Tony taking deep breaths to stop from physically screaming, Barnes looking on in sympathy having plenty of experience with being drugged. 

"What's your name?" The Mandarin said.

"Old age getting to you buddy?" Tony asked sarcastically through the pain, noticing it spike when he spoke.

"What's your name?" He asked again. 

"What are you? A broken record?" the billionaire answered, having to bend over and gasp for breath after another round of agonizing pain. 

"What's your name?" The man asked a final time.

"Anthony Edward Carbonell-Stark!" Tony finally shouted, needing the final piece to confirm his theory.

The pain instantly stopped, leaving him panting for a couple moments before he sat up straight again. The team could see the dread in his eyes and knew better than to talk.

"Now that wasn't so hard!" Killian said, cheerful attitude back after seeing his creation working. "Thank you Julie, you may go" He started, turning to the doctor who immediately looked relieved.

"I'm so sorry" She whispered before the goons took her away.

"Now that we're all alone." Aldrich continued, referring to the fact that the only people left in the room to witness what was going to happen next were the Avengers and the cameras. "Why don't you tell your friends what's about to happen." he finished, gesturing to the people in the cages.

"The asshole injected me with some form of Amobarbital." Tony said promptly, getting a visceral reaction from the spies and Bruce and blank looks from everyone else. "Truth Serum!" He half-shouted, visibly annoyed. 

"You can't do that to a person! That's talking away their basic rights as a human bein-" Steve raged self-righteously, cutting off when he got shocked again.

"Whoops, my hand slipped." Killian said without any sincerity then looked back to Tony. "I've been wanting to do this for so so long." He sighed dreamily, looking beyond pleased with himself. "I'm gonna ask you a couple of questions, I'm going to humiliate you, and you won't be able to do a damn thing about it." He finished with a borderline creepy chuckle.

"While we're getting things off our chests and I have to be honest I think that you're a creepy, desperate man. I think that you are too smart to be so stupid but you let your emotions rule you. I think that you could have gone places in medicine with Extremis if you hadn't decided to become a terrorist." Tony said with a completely even voice, beyond caring what anyone in the room thought of him. 

"That's cool but I don't really care about what anyone thinks of me anymore." Aldrich started, already having known everything that he was saying. "What do you really think of Natasha Romanov?" He starts questioning the billionaire, going straight for the things that he thought would hurt everyone the most yet accidentally giving Tony hidden relief over not having gone for something personal. 

Tony starts panting again, trying to think of a way to get out of everyone hearing what he has to say. Almost ready to start screaming and still not thinking of anything he just comes out with it.

"I think that maybe once we could have been close but I will never trust her after everything that's happened." He says at last, breathing instantly evening out after telling the truth.

From her cell Natasha flinched but nodded understanding and accepting it but Steve looked absolutely scandalized at the thought of teammates not trusting each other. 

"You can't just not trust someone because they had a thing or two to say about your ego!" Steve said, getting a wince out of everyone that knew the real reason for the misstrust.

"Ouch, it's like they don't know anything about how you met her! Why don't you tell them." Killian said vindictively, glad to be able to hurt Tony with something more personal.

"When I met Natasha she was Natalie Rushman. I had finally gotten back from Afghanistan only for the arc reactor to give me Palladium Poisoning. She had a potential cure and a way to slow down the symptoms and she didn't even try to help me until Fury gave her the go ahead when I was hours away from dying. I later found out that she had done a review on my calling me a textbook narcissist that didn't work well with others." Tony tried to stop there but the pain didn't stop so he kept going. "The conclusion of her evaluation was Iron Man: Yes, Tony Stark: Not recommended." He finished, seeing the flinch from Natasha and feeling a bit of spiteful pleasure that it wasn't just him that was hurt by this whole thing. 

"Aww, poor Anthony. Would you mind telling me the symptoms of heavy metal poisoning?" Aldrich asked as if he didn't know, absolutely only doing it to make Steve look even more stricken.

"Almost all heavy metal poisoning generally brings nausea, graying of the skin, vomiting, loss of appetite, loss of energy, headaches, and sometimes chronic pain." Tony says scientifically, finding a loop-hole to not mention anything specific to Palladium. He should have known better.

"And specific to Palladium?" 

"It affects the frontal lobe of the brain and more specifically the frontal cortex." He tries, the pain low level but not all that bad.

"And what does that mean" The unforgiving line of questioning continuing.

"It means that I couldn't remember important things! Half the time I thought that I was in my 20s or I forgot Rhodey or Pepper! I forgot my birthday and the date! It means that I forgot things and that I literally had no impulse control on top of the fact that I thought I was going to die so I just stopped caring!" He burst out, glaring at the man responsible for this and only catching the team's wounded expressions from the corner of his eye.

Barnes just looked resigned, knowing how this kind of thing usually goes and already knowing most of everything in Tony's life. Tony had confided in him most everything. 

"Thank you, for your cooperation." The Mandarin said with a self-satisfied expression, already gearing up for more questions. "How do you feel about Bruce Banner?"

Tony tried to not answer, not ready to admit his conflicted feelings on the man and desperately looking for a way out. Bent at the waist and panting like he'd just ran a race Tony came up with something.

" _Es domāju, ka mums šobrīd ir pārsteidzošas attiecības. Es arī domāju, ka man vienmēr būs šaubas pēc tam, kad viņš aizmiga, kad mēģināju viņam uzticēties."_ The agonized man borderline shouted, getting the pain to stop.

"That's very clever Anthony!" Killian said looking reluctantly impressed before he blanked his face again "But you're going to have to do better than that." He finished, pressing the remote again.

All of the Avengers tensed up, not knowing who he was going to shock, but relaxed after a second. Tony was taking deep, measured, breaths from his chair. Every muscle in his body tensed all at once and then he held his breath and froze. 

"Stop that!" Barnes shouted, quick on the uptake and worried for his friend.

"I gave him double what I gave you and nothing? How rude" He said with a disbelieving pout, finally clicking the button again.

Tony relaxed back all at once and started breathing again cautiously, knowing exactly how to react to shock torture and surprising Natasha.

"Why do you react like that?" Aldrich asked and Tony, too past caring to try to stop from answering just did it before the pain could start again.

"I spent 3 months in a cave getting electrocuted by a car battery after getting open heart surgery without anesthesia. I like to think that my pain tolerance is the only good thing that came of that." 

That got an automatic flinch from most all of the Avengers, Thor looking sad that his element could cause his Shield Brother so much pain.

"Now, lets try that again" Killian said, already over his disappointment "English this time please."

"I think that we have an amazing relationship right now. I also think that I will always have doubts after he fell asleep when I tried to confide in him." 

Bruce winced at the reminder but nodded in agreement after a minute. Clint and Steve looked shocked, no doubt never expecting something like that from the doctor, but seeing his reaction kept their opinions to themselves. 

"And Thor?"

"He's like a golden retriever, but I know that he is smarter than he will ever let anyone know. It's ingrained and I understand but I wish that he could at least use an inside voice." Tony said, chuckling tiredly then gasping when it made his muscles clench. He breathed through the ache and got himself ready for the next questions.

From inside of his cell Thor looked surprised, not having known that Anthony had seen past his masks. Then he took another look at the man and decided that he would do better to get to know the man in return.

"Clint?" The interrogator continued, more than bored that he didn't have anything mean to say about the God. 

"We are too much alike to be anything other than bitter rivals, but if he had seen past some of my masks instead of taking me at face value I think we could have been fast friends." 

Clint just nodded, having seen something in Tony today that he had never seen before and realizing that he had been wrong about the billionaire.

"I'm saving the best for last. Barnes?"

"Even though he should be the one that I hate the most I like him. He understands in a way I loathe and love."

"Why should you hate him the most?"

"He killed my mom." 

Aldrich paused in visible surprise, clearly not having come across anything like that in his research.

"How does he understand you?" 

"He has experience with being betrayed, non-consensual modified, and torture." Tony started, having resigned himself to just getting it over with. "I wish that nobody understood but I've never been as thankful that someone did when he was there at the other end of my nightmares and panic attacks." He finished, anticipating the next question.

"How sweet, and Steve?" The Mandarin asked with a look of malicious glee.

"Between the stuff Howard shoved down my throat, his self-righteous attitude, our first meeting, and the fact that he and Natasha kept the fact that Barnes killed my parents from me for years I will never trust him or like him. He is everything about Howard that I ever hated without the ability to get drunk and he is every politician's excuse for what they do."

"Wow, tell me how you really feel!" Killian said, excited by the look of devastation on the icon's face.

"What did Howard ever do to you! He was your father!" Steve said with his usual amount of righteousness, not knowing why Bucky looked ready to pummel him until he looked at Tony again.

Tony was doing his best but everyone could see the pain on his face that got worse the longer he stayed quiet.

"Oooh, this is going to be good. Come on, tell me. What was the worst thing Howard Stark ever did to you?" Aldrich asked, his hateful smile back.

What the others didn't know was that Tony was a couple seconds away from screaming.

"Come on! Did he take away your favorite toy?" Killian mocked, jumping in shock a second later when Tony started screaming from the pain of not answering.

The screams were horrible. Pained, desperate, howls that made every Avenger except Bucky looked horrified at how desperate he was to avoid the question. The assassin just laid his face on the cold bars and muttered a prayer. The Avengers all started yelling at Aldrich to stop it from hurting him nd begging, contributing to even more noise. The screaming went on for a while until even Aldrich was looking to have doubts and then the answer came and the screaming stopped.

"Raped me!" He shouted almost throwing up from the pain and bent over as his lungs desperately heaved for breath. "He raped me" He repeated, finally getting the last of the pain to stop and his wheezing to stop. 

Every Avenger except for Bucky was in shock, never thinking for a second that anything bad had happened to him yet having it explain so many things about the billionaire that had never made sense. When said billionaire finally started getting his breath back he decided to share something else in hopes that it would get Killian to give him the antidote and let him go.

"He started raping me when I was 6 and he invited business partners over starting when I was 9. When I saw you in Switzerland you reminded me way too much of one of those businessmen so I drank until I couldn't remember why looking at you bothered me and forgot about you completely." 

And he was right. It was the final nail in the coffin. Killian left the room for a minute and came back with the doctor. Everyone in their cages had been silent during the time it took him, too still to be anything other than still in shock. The same doctor, Julia, came back in and set back up her work station.

"Tilt your head again for me, please." She said quietly, having been the only other person still inside the warehouse to hear what Tony had said.

Tony just tiredly tilted his head to the left so she could do the opposite side of his neck. The liquid inside the syringe was a sky blue, but it burned just as much as the first one did. He started panting again but this time Julia just petted his hair as he breathed through it, _Damn the consequences, this poor man_ the doctor thought in defiance to Killian. Once the pain stopped he rested against the chair. The doctor got up and left, this time you could hear the big door closing signalling that she had left the warehouse entirely. Aldrich, for his part, just put a knife in Tony's hand and the key to the cell in the others. Killian and Tony were never really enemies, they had fun making moves to stop each other and it was only ever mean games and fun. Killian knew that he had taken it too far in the heat of the moment so he just left, knowing that by the time they could leave he would be gone.

Tony threw the keys into his mouth and started sawing the ropes open. The Avengers still hadn't said anything but Tony thought that he might prefer it that way. 

When the ropes finally gave he got up slowly, stretching the kinks from his body then slowly made his way to the cells, remembering from Afghanistan that he had to move gracefully to lessen the ache. He unlocked the cells one by one, no one offering to help until he got to Bucky's last. Unlike the others the assassin instantly got up and put an arm around Tony's waist. 

"I need to find the control room." Tony said to James, snapping the other Avengers out of their thoughts.

"Tony-" Steve started, already trying to find a way to apologize.

"You didn't give a damn about me before this so I don't care if you want to be my best friend now. All that I ask is that you stop talking about Howard like he walked on water and stop with the demands and hostility." Tony started looking at Steve and finished by looking at all the Avengers. 

Tony found the control center, putting some of his weight on the one-armed assassin, and then deleted every copy of the video that the camera took and all the evidence of them ever being there. 

"If you want to make it up to me make sure that nothing I said ever makes it past this room." Tony said with finality, telling them that no, he didn't want to talk about it. 

Finally they all got out of the warehouse and back to the tower. Tony updated Jarvis on everything and called Rhodey and Pepper to let them know what had happened, James never once left his side and for that Tony was glad. Something had changed between them and they didn't want to give it up yet. They went to sleep and, when the nightmares came, they comforted each other. When morning came they got up together and when night came they went back to sleep in Tony's bed, it was becoming a pattern and neither of them wanted it to stop. They would have to talk about it eventually but for now they were happy to just revel in the feeling of being cared for by someone else after so, so long. 

* * *

_Let me know what you guys think and if there are any obvious typos let me know. Comments and kudos will always be welcome! -Rose_


	2. How to Get to Know a Person

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I got a request from Yes_it_Really_is_Feeney so, here we go. I tried to get James Barnes to do the talking but it just wouldn't cooperate! I see him as the person to get the final shot in so....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The Avengers is not owned by me or anyone or thing affiliated with me, this is a work of fan fiction.  
> WARNING-This work has the following: Discussions of rape/non-con, past child abuse, child neglect, truth serum, kidnapping, non-consensual bondage, non-con drugging.
> 
> If any of that may be triggering to you please do not read this work.

The week after Tony got them back to the tower while James and Tony were sleeping the Avengers got together in the common room.

"Did anyone know anything about Tony's childhood before today?" Steve asked, more quiet than anyone had ever seen him.

"Everyone knows he had daddy issues." Natasha commented snidely, expecting Clint to snicker but was shocked when he didn't.

"We should have known. It doesn't matter that he never told us, I wouldn't confide in someone who acted like we did to him with anything." Clint sadly said, upset with himself for not knowing better. 

"He was right you know, we never cared before. We don't get to come back and pretend that he's the one overreacting now that we were proved wrong. We burned that bridge the second we believed the masks he puts up for the public." Bruce said angrily, mad at himself for the prejudice that he didn't realize that he had been carrying.

"We need to fix this somehow." Steve said with certainty, already gaining back some of his selfrigheousness. Bruce, Clint, and Thor shared a look and agreed to stay out of it. 

"I think that I'm ready for bed-" Bruce started

"Totally, it's been a long day.." Clint continued.

"Yes, Shield Brothers, we shall discuss on the marrow!" Thor said with his usual zeal.

They didn't need to try that hard though. They got a preoccupied goodbye from Steve and Natasha as they left, the both of them already too far into their plotting to notice. They walked to the elevator in silence.

"Jarvis?" Bruce said hesitantly, wanting to help but not knowing if it would be appreciated.

"Yes, Doctor Banner?" Jarvis replied perfectly polite, but too robotic to be anything but passive aggressive. How they missed it before was astounding but now they wince at the obvious dislike the AI had for them. 

"When Tony wakes up can you tell him that Natasha and Steve are going to try something? Tell him that we are staying out of it but we wanted him to know?" Bruce asked quickly, just wanting to sleep after the major reality check they all received. 

"Of course, I will let sir now, Doctor Banner." The voice in the walls replied, Bruce letting out a relieved sigh at the agreement and lessened aggression in the butler's voice. 

They get off the elevator to their floors as they got to each with a muttered goodbye, Clint being the last one off.

 _Well that was a shit show._ The archer thought sarcastically under the spray of the shower later that evening. 

*****TRUTH SERUM*****

Trauma is never fun. It brings nightmares, pain, flashbacks. It brings memories rather forgotten and addiction crawling back. 

Waking up with someone next to him isn't something new, the ache in his lower back wasn't new. What is new is the metal arm draped across his stomach, holding him securely to the naked, muscular chest behind him. Tensing for a moment Tony thought back to the night before.

"What's wrong, doll?" James' sleep rough voice asked from behind him.

The billionaire in his arms instantly relaxed hearing his voice, making the assassin smile.

"Just forgot what had happened last night for a minute." Tony replied, speech languid with misuse. 

They had talked about everything and nothing a couple days earlier, promptly beginning their honeymoon phase. Tony was happier than he could ever remember being and it was all thanks to the beautiful man behind him that made him feel beautiful and sexy and intelligent. 

Besides the shock of the morning Tony had been waiting for Steve and Natasha to corner him for days now, beyond thankful for the warning Bruce, Clint, and Thor were responsible for.

The men just looked at each other for a moment before laughing, a happy, joyful laugh that explained perfectly how content they were in the moment. 

"Coooofffeeee!" Tony begged after a little while, getting a nip to the neck that made him giggle before James climbed out of the bed. 

James was shameless, not that he had a reason to be, as Tony ogled him from the comfort of the bed. His naked body perfect, thick thighs and a perfect ass with washboard abs and amazing pecs. The scars from his metal arm only making him more beautiful to Tony his strong jawline, gorgeously stubbled and shoulder length chestnut hair. He was something that deserved to be ogled. 

Leaning over to give Tony one more peck to the lips he made his way to the kitchen, coming back a few minutes later with two cups of coffee. 

"Marry me, coffee" Tony said reaching for the cup with grabby hands, pouting when the assassin pulled it away without spilling a drop.

"My new nickname better be coffee." The coffee stealer commented before taking another sip of his own, still holding the billionaire's hostage.

"Of course it is, coffee." Tony's tone said _duh_ but his eyes sparkled with mischief, finally getting up to his knees and kissing James.

While they kissed, presses of mouths that had no pressure to go anywhere, Tony took the cup. He moaned pornographically getting an appreciative look from James' darkening eyes. Tony finished his coffee then, with a seductive sway to his hips, walked to the bathroom and bent over to turn on the bathtub. He looked up with come hither eyes. Jame's finished his coffee and prowled to the bathroom, a predator closing in on its prey. 

They didn't leave the room for the rest of the day.

*****TRUTH SERUM*****

By the time dinner came around they decided that it was probably better to get the confrontation over quickly so they went to the common room for dinner. Tony was wearing the assassin's shirt, positively drowning in it and proudly showing off his hickeys. When they got to the kitchen it was empty but they knew that Jarvis had been told to alert the pair when they came down. Tony got started on dinner, just finishing putting everything in the oven when Captain Righteous and Miss Manipulation walked in. Seeing Tony gave them pause but, they were nothing if not stubborn.

"We need to talk." Steve said, not a doubt in his mind that they would refuse him.

"Sure" Tony easily agreed, laughing inside at how arrogant they must be to think they would give in that easy without their own agenda. 

"Your opinion of the team and how disrespectful you are being to your own father is awful and we would like you to stop lying." Steve commanded pausing when Natasha put a hand on his arm at his blunt statement.

"What he means is that we would love a second chance to prove that we didn't any of it." She corrected quietly, just enough submission and sheepishness that would get anyone to give in. 

Anyone except the one that trained her.

"03912, reset" Barnes said authoritatively, instantly getting her to stand the same way she was when she walked into the room and proving just how much of her training she was using at how easy it was for her to respond. The same way she did when she was learning how to prepare to manipulate someone. "Thought so." Bucky commented snidely, everyone in the room knowing what her quick reaction meant. 

"Yasha," Natashalie started, clearly going for sympathy but stopping at the look in James' dark eyes. 

"Tell me Steve, what was my mother's name?" Tony jumped in, glad to see Natasha taken down a peg.

Silence was Steve's only answer. He had no idea where Tony was going with it but James did, his eyes lighting with desire at the mere thought of Tony verbally ripping Steve apart.

"What's my favorite color?" He continued "My favorite food, my favorite restaurant. Hell, I'll even give you a point if you can tell me who my best friend is."

"Bucky" Steve answered to the last one, completely sure and still not understanding. Natasha had a hand over her mouth and was clearly looking for a way out but, seeing none straightened her shoulders and stayed blank-faced.

"It's Rhodey." Tony sighed in mock disappointment, the glee in his eyes seen by everyone except the Captain. "You know, I thought that the worst thing that you would be able to do to me was make some pointed comments about the man that raped me. I thought 'I can deal with this, I knew I wasn't going to like him from the stories Howard told but I can handle him saying the same things people have said to me my entire life'. Then you moved in and you were a constant reminder. But I was wrong. The worst thing that you ever did to me was the same thing that you did to everyone else, you believed in the myth that is Captain America." Tony started, slowly walking closer as he slowly pushed the last nail into the coffin. "You are an arrogant, egotistical, self-righteous, asshole who wouldn't have been anything more than another dead body when all the illnesses you had slowly killed you in the 30's." Tony finished prompting James to say the thing he knew would crush him.

"You're not the person that I knew anymore. I may not have all my memories but I hope to God that I wasn't still around to see it when you turned into this thing wearing my friend's body." He said with sincerity the relish in his tone hidden to everyone but Tony.

The oven beeped and Tony took the food out of the oven, James helping, and when they turned back both of the Avengers had fled. They just looked at each other for a minute then cracked up, beyond relieved that it was over and happy to just be together without the threat of them hanging over their heads. They kissed again briefly before plating up the food. Laughing and flirting as they ate then going back to Tony's room to sleep, barely even noticing how much of James' stuff had made it up to Tony's room anymore. 

When a couple months later Tony came downstairs limping with a ring on his finger, well, nobody that actually knew the pair were surprised. 

* * *

_Hope this does your request justice! Comments, requests, and kudos are always welcome. Feel free to comment on any obvious typos. -Rose_


	3. When the Puppy Learns to Grow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poppaea_sabina brought up the fact that I let Thor off. At first I was just going to ignore everything that involved AOU but I thought 'I'm here now, might as well.' So, here is a talk between Thor and Tony. Sorry if this wasn't what you were looking for but, I've found that when I think of Thor he is either so ignorant it's adorable or unwilling to change his opinions. I went for the former.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: The Avengers is not owned by me or anyone or thing affiliated with me, this is a work of fan fiction.  
> Warning- This work has the following: Discussion of choking, and discussions of abuse relationships, references to rape/non-con 
> 
> If any of this triggers you please read at your own risk.

Ignorance doesn't go away once acknowledged. It's a mindset that is peeled away layer from layer and very easy to ignore. Ignorance is the disease you are never warned about.

"Clinton," Thor started, more quiet than anyone had ever heard him. "If I apologize to friend Anthony for not defending him do you think that he will believe in my sincerity?" He finished.

They had been sitting quietly in the common room watching a movie. Natasha and Steve hadn't been seen since they decided to confront Tony but, Clint knew that Jarvis had told them to pack up. They were thrown out by Tony and given a customary thirty day warning, fifteen days had passed and nobody had seen them in that time. Bruce hadn't left the lab except to eat. After getting over his shock at the volume of Thor's voice Clint answered hesitantly.

"Buddy, I don't think you not defending his honour is what he's upset about." The archer said, not wanting to assume or be involved. 

He had been in a somber mood ever since what he deemed the "Truth Serum Incident", trying to figure out when he had started to remind himself of his father. When he had become desensitized to the way that the Avengers had been treating a member of their team but he couldn't pinpoint it. All that he could do was promise himself to be better and that included minding his own damn business. 

"What do you mean, Friend Clint?" Thor asked, the kicked puppy face coming back and shattering the last of Clint's resolve to stay out of it. 

"Do you remember when you got angry and held Tony up by his throat?" Barton started, continuing only when he got a confused nod from the God. "We know that you've been trying hard to understand and adjust to the fact that 'mortals' are capable but, that could have killed him."

Thor looked horrified and disbelieving, trying to process his actions with the new information.

"But Clinton, if there was a chance of me slaying friend Anthony then wouldn't someone have said something?" The god asked, more confused and terrified than disbelieving now. 

Clint just winced, wondering himself how he could have fallen so far. 

"Sometimes we get caught up in the moment and when nobody acts like anything is wrong everyone believes that what they are doing is ok. Everyone that was in the room at the time had a responsibility to tell you that you could have hurt him like that but we didn't and that's on us but it's also on you. Everyone messed up that day but ultimately, as team leader, Steve should have stopped you." The archer lectured, remembering how SHIELD and it's operatives worked and going off that for direction. "I think we all have a lot to apologize for but, unlike the rest of us, you legitimately didn't know better. I think that you need to talk to Tony about this though." He finished, mad at himself for barely last two weeks after promising himself to stay out of it but, what's done is done.

He paused the movie and left the common room, leaving Thor behind, and making an escape to the vents and just swearing to himself to do better next time. 

*****TRUTH SERUM*****

"Friend Tony?" Thor asked deceptively quiet. 

It was three AM and when sleep hadn't come for the thunder god he got up and decided to get something to eat. What he hadn't expected was Tony and Bucky. At the sound of his voice they both looked over and stopped eating. Tony's face instant lost some of its sincerity and, now that he was looking for it, he could see the way the man's shoulders tightened. Disheartened that Clint had probably been right he sat on the other side of the table and worked up the courage to explain.

"Man of Iron, at first I thought that you were upset at me for no defending your honour but, when I asked, Clinton explained that that wasn't the majority of the issue." Thor started strongly, getting more meek as he continued. "It was brought to my attention that, while mortals aren't weak and incapable, they are still more fragile than myself. When I grabbed you by the throat it was meant to be a reprimand, as is common in Asgard, not a threat. For this you have my absolute sincerity, it seems as though I am not as adjusted to Migardian culture as I formerly thought." The god finished, looking like a kicked puppy waiting for a death sentence. 

The pathetic look more than anything drove Tony to believe him more than anything else. The man grabbed Bucky's hand to steady himself before starting.

"At first I blamed you." The billionaire started, getting a flinch from the pathetic looking god, "But then, when your attitude to me otherwise didn't change I thought 'Well, maybe he really doesn't understand the severity of what he did. I decided to drop it for my own sanity and the fact that, when I thought about it, I figured that it was really up to Steve to reign that in. I don't blame you for anything other than the fact that you could be adapting much faster to our culture if you actually tried." Tony finished, letting go of a weight that he hadn't really realized that he had been holding. "Thank you, for explaining the situation, Point Break." 

Letting go of Barnes' hand he reached across the table and grabbed Thor's. Bucky got up and god Thor a serving of the Chinese take-out they had ordered and, for the rest of the night, they just talked. By the end of it they all understood each other a lot better and, although forgiven, Thor understood that he would have to make up for his misstep. 

* * *

_Comments, kudos, constructive criticism, and story ideas you would like to see are welcome as always. Thanks, for the feedback. -Rose_


	4. The Club

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning- This talks of child abuse of all types and mostly just bad memories.
> 
> If that be triggering to you please be careful while reading. LetiADZ wanted a Clint and Bruce chapter, I decided to combine the two so, here we go.

Bruce and Clint knew what abuse looked like, had a graphic image that they would never be able to get out of their heads. Suffice it to say that they had about three types of PTSD just between the two which was why they were only that much more ashamed of themselves.

"Remember when we first realized that we were both abused and we would share those knowing looks? I'm pretty sure that Tony knew about it before we knew about each other because he never pushed. Even Steve has managed to accidentally trigger me but Tony just walked through the minefield that is my mental health like he didn't even notice he was doing it." Bruce said head bowed the way it had been since the day the billionaire was put under truth serum. 

Clint and Bruce had been close, bonding mostly over their shitty fathers, for a while. They both knew what it was like to be ignored and pushed aside and to realize that they had done that to another person? To someone they called a friend? 

It was an awful feeling. 

They had met up at the cafe they had coined theirs at the usual time, the fact that they weren't really famous letting them have a break where being seen in Stark Tower wouldn't. 

"I asked if he knew what it felt like to be unmade," Clint muttered horrified at the realization of his ignorance and complete disregard. "He got this look in his eye as if he pitied me before he left... I think I know why now." 

They commiserated for a while longer before Bruce got a look of concentration.

"I want to apologize, I want my Science Bro back." 

Clint and Bruce shared a resigned nod before they got to planning.

They decided to just tell the truth and knew that even if Tony never forgave them they would lay themselves bare for the billionaire to see how sorry they were. 

-

The pair made their way to the elevator immediately when they got back.

"Jarvis?" Bruce asked, knowing that the AI's reception of them could make or break their plan. 

"Yes, Doctor Banner?" The voice in the ceiling said, voice mostly monotone with hints of disgust. It was how the AI always sounded around them, Bruce realized with a jolt. 

"Can you ask Tony if we can talk? It doesn't matter where or when just that both of us would like to talk to him." Clint finished, not understanding why Bruce had paused in dread. 

"Sir says that he and Master James will be in the guest penthouse in an hour should you still wish to speak to him," Jarvis said, his voice never changing. 

The pair just nodded and went up to the mentioned floor, waiting for Tony and Bucky to come up. 

When the couple finally came up Tony was clearly ready with some sarcastic quip but paused when Clint held a hand up.

"I know that you probably don't want to hear it but we want to explain ourselves." The archer said, a begging undertone to his voice. 

The couple just shared a look then nodded, sitting opposite the other pair on the bed. 

"I think you know already but both of us were abused," Clint started, taking the lead in the face of Bruce's silence. "I've never been good with any sort of relationship and the only thing that I wanted was to never make someone feel like my father made me feel. I failed horribly and because nobody said anything I never even realized that I was doing it. I remember the looks I would get out in public, I lived in a smaller community and they all knew what my father did to me. I thought that I would see some of those looks but then I realized that nobody would ever even realize what had happened to you because Howard was the Golden Boy of America." The archer choked up, nodding gratefully at Bruce when the scientist took over. 

"I never even stopped to consider how we were treating you because I let myself believe the propaganda about Captain America and the journalists about you. I didn't even try to get to know you and I will regret for the rest of my life the way that I treated you." Bruce said, looking solemn. 

"It was never about the fact that you guys bullied me, I can deal with bullies. I even could have dealt with you all being distant coworkers because I know how volatile it can get with a lot of conflicting personalities in one place. The thing about this team -if it can even be called that- that hurt me the most was everyone else got along fine. It was just me that wasn't included. I figured that you wanted me for my money and my status and I let it go. I don't really care above that." Tony said, the last of the tension leaving his frame when James held him to his muscled chest. 

The pair just nodded, grateful that they were given a chance to explain and feeling worse than they had before about their behavior.

It wasn't a happy ending but it was an ending. 

They could practically see where they should have acted differently, where they could have changed everything with just a couple of adjustments, but they were just glad that the billionaire had found someone that would treat him right. 

* * *

_I hope that this was what you were looking for LetiADZ. Comments/pairings that you would like to see from me are always welcome or email me: Roseriley0612@gmail.com_

_-Rose_


End file.
